Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1887-07-02

itsel1 into silence again, Inucl as a harp dO,-
when the striker takes his fingers from the
strings. Had she stayed on another week Oh
so the effect might baye been more enduring.
But although Je s had gone away Dessic
had not. On the contrary, she was always
about him, surrounding him with that tender
care woman, however involhtarily, can
not prevent her from lavishing on the man
she loves. Her beauty moved about tie
place like beam of light about garden, for
she was indeed a lovely woman and as pure
and good as she was lovely. Nor could john
long remain in ignorance of her parliality for
him. He was not vain man--vcry much
the reverse, indeed--but neither was he a
fool And it must be said that, though
, Bessie never overstPppe1 the bounds of maid
enii reserve, neither did she take particular
pallis to Az her preference. Indeed it was
too strong to permit OF her doing SO. Not
that she was animated by the half divine,
soul soaring breath Of passion, sucl as ami
mated her sister-which is very rare thing
and, take it altogether as undesirable and
unsuitable to the ordinary conditions OF this
proSaic and work day life as it is rare-but
she was tenderly and truly i'll love after the
ordinary young womauly fashion; indeed,
her passion, measured by the every day stand
ard, would have proved to be deep one.
However this was, she was undoubtedly pre-
pared to make John Mel faithful and
loving wife if he chose to ask her to be-
come So
And as the weeks went on-though of
course, he knew nothing of all this-it be
came very serious question to John whether
he should not ask her. Ii is not good for man
to live alone. especially in the Transvaal, and
it was not possible for him to pass day by day
-. l.,
grace without thinking that it would be well
to draw the bond of union closer. Indeed,
had John been younger man or had less ex-
perience he would have succumbed to the
temptation much sooner than he did But he
was neither very young nor very inexperi-
enced. Ten years or more ago, in his green
and gushing youth, he had, as has been said,
burned his fingers pretty sharply, and a lively
recollection of this incident in bis career had
heretofore proved very efficient warning to
him. Also, he had got TO that period of life
when men think a great many times before
they wildly commit themselves to the deep
matrimonial waters. But however COM
mendably cautious man may be, he is always
liable to be thrown into temptation sufficiently
strong to sweep away his caution and make
mockery of his plans However strong the
rope, it has its breaking strain and in the
same way our power Of resistance to any
given course depends entirely upon the power
of the temptation to draw US into it. And so
it was destined to be with our friend John
Mel
II -'ns about week after his conItsfrRstieu
with old sSilas Croft that it occurred to John
that Bessies manner had grown rather strange
of late. 1t seemed to him thai she had avoided
his society instead of, if not counting it, at
least showing a certain partiality for it.
Also, she had been looking pale and worried
and evinced tendency to irritation that was
quite foreign to her natural sweetness of dis
position. Now, when person on whom one
is accustomed to depend for most of that
social intercourse and those pleasant little
amenities that members of one sex value from
another, suddenly cuts off the supply without
any apparent rhyme or reason, it is enough
to induce a feeling Of wonder, not TO say of
vexation, in the breast. 1t never occurred to
John that the reason might be that Bessie
was truly fond of him, and perhaps uncon-
scicusly disappointed that he did not show a
warmer interest i'll her. If, however, we were
to examine into The facts of the case we
should probably discover that this was the
real explanation of the change Bessie was
straightforward young woman, whose mind
and purposes were as clear as running water.
She was vexed with John, though she would
probably not have owned it even to herself
in so many words, and her manner reflected
the condition of her mind.
"Bessie," said John one lovely day, Just as
the afternoon was merging into evening
"Bessie"-he always called her Bessie now
81 am going down to the black waffle planta-
ton by the big mealie patch / want to see
how those young trees are doing. If you
have done your cooking"-for Bessie had been
engaged in making a cake, as young ladies,
to their souls health, often have to do in the
colonies-"I wish you would put on your hat
and come with me. don't believe that you
have been out to-day"
THANK you, Capt. Mel" answered Bessie,
looking at him in a bewitching little way she
well knew how to assume, "thank you, but |
think had rather not go out walking" This
was what she said, but her eyes added, II am
offended with you. / want to have nothing
to do with you"
"Very WELL" said John; "then l suppose
must so alone" and he took up his hat with
the air of a martyr.
Bessie looked through the open kitchen
door at the lights and shadows that chased
each other across the swelling bosom of the
hill behind the house.
at certoNly is very fine" she said; "are
you going ~"
"No, only round the plantation"
There are SO many puff adders down there,
and hate snakes, suggested Bessie, by way
OF finding another excuse for not coming.
"Oh, Ill look after the puff adders-come
along"
"Well," she said at last, Il will come, not
because l want to come. but because you
have overpersuaded me. don't know what
has come to me-" she added, with a little
stamp and a sudden filing of her blue eyes
with tears, II do not seem to have any will of
my own left When want to do one thing
and you want me to do another, it is who
have to do what you want; and tell you
don't like il, Capt. Mel, and i shall be very
cross out walking;" and she swept past him,
on her way to fetch her hat in that peculiarly
graceful way that angry women can some
times assume, and left him rejecting that he